Doing A Cycle With Fish-should I Be Doing Daily Water Changes?

[Angel_Queen]

So after completely screwing up and starting a cycle with fish, thanks to mine and my boyfs lack of experience, research and quality of advice from our LFS with 4 zebra danios and 2 angels

The tank is Juwel Rekord 96 (ie. 96l/ 25g) and been set up since 22nd Sept
Have been checking the levels daily (unfortunately with the strips, but have now ordered the liquid thanks to TFF)
The ph is stable at 7 and is planted with a variety of live plants.

After checking the ammonia yesterday (using a strip-so not hugely accurate) we found it to be showing 0.5.
We did a 10% waterchange and today have tested the water with the liquid test and the reading is 0.25

My question is should I be doing daily water changes, and if so how much water?

 

[littlest]

Water changes would be based on the levels of ammonia and nitrite in the tank. You want to keep them under 0.25, so you are OK with the ammonia at the moment. Keep testing daily, possibly twice a day, and any time the ammonia or nitrite is over 0.25 do a water change.
When I cycled with fish I tended to do 50 per cent water changes, but others seem to think this is too much I think, so wait for someone more experienced to reply about that bit.

Did you test for nitrite today?

 

[Angel_Queen]

As I only have the strips it is really hard to do an accurate test and give an accurate number. But when I tested this morning, the nitrIte was showing 0ppm yet the nitrAte was showing 20ppm.

After all my reading it seems odd not to have a reading of NitrIte yet have ammonia. It is more than likely the fact I'm using testing strips but have ordered the liquids which will hopefully arrive very very soon.

 

[littlest]

It could be due to the inaccuracy of the strip tests but it could also be that you have nitrate in your tap water, have you tested this?
If you have nitrate in your tap water it may be that you aren't converting ammonia to nitrite yet but you are seeing nitrate because of the tap water. Does this make sense (not sure I explained it well). You'll know more when you get the liquid tests, but so far it doesn't sound too bad.

 

[scotslasszoe]

Hi i am also doing a fish in cycle. for the last 3 weeks i have had to do 3 water changes every single day. so be prepared to do this. see if your LPS can take the fish back, or if u have a frined with a cycled tank ask them if they could keep your fish. Got 2 tanks going through a fishless cycle so when my large tank is complete if i still havent completed fish in cycle i will transfer them to cycled tank and do fishless again.

Zoe

 

[Angel_Queen]

I know exactly what you mean but we used bottled water to fill the tank and do the change yesterday. I think it's probably the crap testing strips.Am certainly prepared to do the water changes but wanted to confirm the frequency and amount as I don't want to destroy any of the good bacteriaAm certainly prepared to do the water changes but wanted to confirm the frequency and amount as I don't want to destroy any of the good bacteria

 

[scotslasszoe]

I do 3 15-20% water changes everyday to keep ammonia down. I have had tank set up for a month and i still have no nitrite. shouldnt be long now ( i hope)

Good luck and let me know how u get on

Zoe

 

[Angel_Queen]

I am fully prepared to do the changes... willingly... to make sure the fish stay alive.
Just wanted to confirm amount and frequency so to not disturb any cycle that might be going on

 

[Angel_Queen]

Had a full test done today at my LFS stats as follows:

(96 litre)
PH - 7
Ammonia - 0 mg/l
NitrIte - 0.3 mg/l
NitrAte - 40mg/l


Would a water change be advisable to get the NitrIte down?

 

[sillypony]

Had a full test done today at my LFS stats as follows:

(96 litre)
PH - 7
Ammonia - 0 mg/l
NitrIte - 0.3 mg/l
NitrAte - 40mg/l


Would a water change be advisable to get the NitrIte down?

I believe nitrate just has to be taken out through water changes. Heres a quote from about.com

"How to Reduce Nitrates
Unlike ammonia and nitrites, the bacteria that remove nitrates do not like oxygen rich environments. Therefore, conventional filters do not harbor the bacteria that remove nitrates. Although special filters exist that will remove nitrates, such devices are usually expensive compared to other filtration units. Here is what you can do to keep nitrates low.

Keep the tank clean – Waste ultimately produces nitrates. Cleaner tanks produce fewer nitrates in the first place.


Don’t overfeed the fish – Overfeeding is a significant contributor to excess nitrates and other undesirable wastes, such as phosphates.


Water changes – Performing regular water changes with water that has little or no nitrates will lower the overall nitrate level in the tank. RO/DI water is an excellent choice for keeping nitrate levels low.


Keep live plants – Live plants utilize nitrates, and will help keep nitrates in check.


Use nitrogen removing filter media – Instead of an expensive denitrator or special filter, use special media in the filter you have. Although they will not lower nitrates dramatically, if used together with other methods the net result will be beneficial." http/freshaquarium.about.com/od/watercare/a/nitrates.htm

LeeAnna

 

[littlest]

You don't need to use any nitrate removing products, and nitrate isn't the thing to be worrying about right now. 40ppm is fine. Might want to do a WC for the nitrites though.

 

[Angel_Queen]

That's what I was thinking too. Going to wait until tomorrow morn, retest the 3, see how the NitrItes are doing. If the NitrItes are still as high or higher will do a change. Really want to see how my cycle is doing, and whether the NitrItes will be reduced via the NitrAtes. I have only had the tank for 10 days but sped up the tank with fish (cringe...i know) and a product similar to BioSpira.

How much water would you recommend changing?

 

[Stacey13]

I would recommend a 50% water change whenever your ammonia and/ or nitrIte reach about 0.25ppm. Test twice a day, maybe change water twice a day too, although if you don't add anymore fish until your cycle is complete, you should be ok with a once per day water change.
Some people think a 50% water change is too large, I routinely change 50% once a week and my fish are just fine.

 

[rdd1952]

I would trash the strips and get a good liquid test kti. If you have the 5 in 1 strips, they dont test ammonia and that is the #1 thing you need to be testing for every day right now. It is the first toxin in the tank. Since you have had the tank running since the 22nd, it is possible the ammonia has cycled and the nitrite is close, especially since tyour nitrates are at 40 ppm (what are they from the tap). Aonther problem with the strips though is that they are extremely inaccurate.

In any case, you would need to do water changes as needed to keep the ammonia and nitrite at .25 ppm or lower. And you should try to keep the nitrate at 20 ppm or lower. Normal water changes are 15 to 25 percent each week. And as mentioned, don't waste your money on nitrate removal sponges and media. If you change 20% of the water every week and there isn't any nitrate in your tap water, your nitrate shouldn't ever get over 20 ppm unless you are very heavily stocked or are overfeeding.

 

[merry78]

it seems like you are on the right track with testing and changes, you can work out how much you need to change with fractions:
if you have your .3 measurement for nitrites, and want to get it to .2, you need to change a third of your volume (reduce nitrites by a third, change a third of your water....if you had a reading of .5 and wanted .25, change half your water etc....).
in my opinion, a water change up to about %40-%50 at a time is ok if your stats warrant it, it's better for your fish to do a large change than have a high nitrite or ammo reading. If it's borderline, just change half what you calculate you need to do in the morning, and the other half in the afternoon.
hth, merry.